ABOUT CARRIE:
CARRIE (pseudonym HALLIE JAMES)
After the abrupt ending of her decade-long marriage, Carrie suddenly became a full-time single parent, tasked with rebuilding her life in a foreign country. The marriage had been mentally and emotionally abusive, and Carrie began to realize that she had let the trauma accumulate over time. She needed to release the pain in a healthy, safe way, so that she could focus on helping her children adjust to the new lives they now found themselves living.
After some soul-searching, she landed on the idea of making Gratitude Hearts. An avid DIY-er, Carrie began creating hundreds of little hearts. Attaching handwritten notes to the hearts, she would leave them around town for strangers to find. The notes explained the goal of the Gratitude Hearts. The intention was to pop the heart into a pocket, purse, or even just on a shelf. Each time the person noticed the heart, they were to pause momentarily, thinking of something they were grateful for in their life. By each person cultivating the practice of gratitude, the outcome is, ultimately, a better world for everyone.
While encouraging gratitude was warming her heart, it still wasn't addressing and unpacking her trauma. She needed to try an alternate route.
With great trepidation, Carrie began to write out her story. She was shocked to discover that by putting her words down on paper, it released the majority of the burdens that she had been carrying. She sent a copy to a friend, whose response was, "now write the ending." So, she did. "Mending Broken" falls under the branch of creative non-fiction. The first half of her story is non-fiction, and the second half is the ending that Carrie is manifesting for herself.
Carrie chose to publish under the pseudonym Hallie James. Concerned about potential retaliation, she refused to have her name attached to the book. The incredible crew at Tusitala Press honored her request, and "Mending Broken" was released to the world in April, 2023, authored by the fictitious Hallie James.
As she began to share her story publicly, Carrie was dissapointed to learn how many other women identified with aspects of her story. Crestfallen, she discovered that a number of these women never spoken to anyone about their experience for fear of judgement or reprisal. The same reason Carrie chose to publish under the pseudonym. When she learned that speaking candidly and transparently about her own experience helped other women feel more comforable discussing their own stories, she decided to embark on the Fifty First Dates project to see how many other ways she could learn from - and support - strangers.
Now, you might be asking yourself, "how on Earth does any of this tie into campfires"? It's a fair question! The women who read Carrie's story began to tell her about their own experiences. They had wanted to have the conversation with someone - anyone - but many had never felt safe enough to speak openly. Carrie thought about where she would feel most comforable sharing her story, and an image of a campfire came to mind. Sitting around the campfire, surrounded by friends, sharing their collective stories with one another.
That's Carrie's story. So, get comforatble around the campfire, and ignite the conversation!